Excitation Wavelength and Colloids Concentration-Dependent Nonlinear Optical Properties of Silver Nanoparticles Synthesized by Laser Ablation

We reported experimental results from investigations that employed the Z-scan method to explore the dependence of silver nanoparticles' (AgNPs) nonlinear optical properties on the excitation wavelength, AgNP concentration, and size. Using a 532 nm Nd: YAG laser beam at 100 mJ/pulse for different ablation times, AgNPs were synthesized from a silver target immersed in distilled water. UV-Vis spectroscopy and an atomic absorption spectrometer are used to characterize the optical properties of laser-synthesized AgNPs as well as their concentrations. The AgNPs' size and shape are determined using a transmission electron microscope (TEM). The laser-synthesized AgNPs are spherical, with an average particle size of 12 to 13.2 nm. Whatever the ablation time, the AgNP colloids exhibit reversed saturable absorption and a negative nonlinear refractive index (n₂). Both n₂ and the nonlinear absorption coefficient (α₃) increase as the AgNP concentration increases. As the excitation wavelength and average size of the AgNPs increase, n₂ and α₃ decrease.